#EskomInquiry 'agrees' to summon Myeni, Guptas and Duduzane Zuma

Parliament - Former South African Airways (SAA) board chairperson Dudu Myeni, Duduzane Zuma and the Gupta brothers are set to be summoned to appear before Parliament’s inquiry into state capture at state-owned companies, it was confirmed on Tuesday.

This comes after all three were a no-show on Tuesday, despite being previously summoned to appear before the committee.

On Monday, lawyers representing the Guptas told the chairperson of the Public Enterprises Committee Zukiswa Rantho that the brothers would not appear at the Eskom Inquiry as they are currently not in the country.

Their whereabouts are unknown, as they are also being sought by the Hawks for charges related to the Estina Dairy Farm project.

It remains unclear why Zuma failed to make an appearance before the committee.

The committee in a statement confirmed it would summon Myeni, Zuma and the Guptas to appear before it.

"The Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises has agreed to summon the former SAA board chairperson, Duduzane Zuma and the Gupta brothers to appear before it.

Speaking of Myeni's failure to appear before the committee, Rantho said: "Myeni has been invited by the committee twice and has indicated that she is unable to appear before the committee on both occasions.

"Members of the committee said they will not be held to ransom by Myeni as it is in her best interest to appear before the inquiry."

Rantho added that: "The committee has not received a sick note from Myeni. Members of the committee proposed that an independent evaluation to verify if she is indeed sick. The committee is of the view that it would be impossible to finish the work of the inquiry without the testimony of Myeni including that of Zuma and the Gupta family."

She added that the issuing of summons was the last resort that the committee undertook "as invitations have been issued without any success".

The latest development comes hours after Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba faced a grilling in Parliament over his role in the naturalisation of the Guptas.

Gigaba, testifying before the inquiry, confirmed that Atul Kumar Gupta is a South African citizen who was naturalised in 2002, when Gigaba claimed was not a Member of Parliament (MP).

Rajesh Tony Gupta, meanwhile, was naturalised in 2006. The minister however, denied that Ajay Gupta was a naturalised citizen but merely held a permanent residence permit.

"He refused to renounce Indian citizenship and therefore, is not a SA citizen," Gigaba said in response to EFF MP Marshall Dlamini's question.

Grilled on whether Ajay had a South African passport, Gigaba said he did not know but would have to check. However, he added that holders of permanent residence permits were not normally issued with passports.